Cut sweet potato and carrot into large dice (about the same size as onions used) steam vegetables until just under fork tender. I used frozen pearl onions for this recipe if you use fresh you will need to blanch them until tender remove husks before proceeding.
In a skillet large enough to hold all the vegetables place one TBSP butter/serving and heat until butter foams, add pearl onions and sauté until just golden, add brown sugar and ginger along with steamed potato and carrot. If you need to add more butter do so at this stage to allow sugar to coat vegetables. Cook until potato and carrot are fork tender, serve.

You will need:Angus or other good quality Rib Eye Steak – one/serving (I used a steak that was cut one inch thick)Broccoli Crown – one/per servingBaking Potato – one small/per servingGarlic clove – two/servingShallot clove – two/servingOlive Oil – two TBSP/servingPanko Bread Crumbs – approximately three TBSP/servingTahini – approximately one TBSP/servingSoftened Unsalted Butter – approximately one TBSP/ServingSea or Kosher Salt – to tasteFresh Ground Pepper – to tasteMayonnaise (jarred will do) – one TBSP/servingHorseradish (jarred will do) – one TBSP/serving

Prepare crust:Finely dice garlic and shallot cloves place into preheated sauté pan and cook until just translucent (do not brown) set aside to cool. When garlic/shallot mixture is cool add Panko crumbs to coat, set aside.

For Horseradish Mayonnaise:Combine horseradish and mayonnaise and set aside. If you decide to use fresh horseradish you will have too grate a little more than the stated one TBSP and combine with a little vinegar and sugar.

For Tahini Compound Butter:Bring butter to room temperature to soften then combine well with Tahini Paste and set aside.

Prepare the Potato:Coat the potato with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake as you would normally when the potato is finished baking start with the balance of the steps to follow (keep warm)

Prepare the steak:I used an oven ready grill pan however you can sauté the steak if you desire. Coat both sides of the steak with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté/grill steak on one side for approximately five minutes or until a good crust/grill marks are evident. Turn steak and coat with the bread crumb mixture. If you are using a sauté pan you will need to turn the steak over one additional time to get the crust mixture crisped and browned. This step will take a little practice since you might lose some of the coating. Finish steak to desired doneness

In the meantime steam the broccoli crown(s) until just al denté.

Top the broccoli with compound butter, cut open the potato and top with horseradish/mayonnaise plate and serve.

This simple and fast dish is perfect for a light meal or side dish. I had some mushrooms and onions leftover from diner the other night and wanted to use them. I had a taste for a pasta dish and came up with this.

You will need:Mushrooms – approximately one cup/servingSweet Onion – approximately one cup/servingOlive Oil – approximately two tsp/servingTomato Paste – approximately one tsp/servingOregano Pesto
or Fresh Oregano chopped with olive oil to form a paste – approximately 1 tsp/servingGarlic – approximately one clove/servingSalt/PepperShell Pasta

Prepare pasta according to package directions. In the mean time medium dice mushrooms and onion and puree garlic. In a sauté pan large enough to hold mixture heat olive oil until hot, add mushroom, onion and garlic and sauté until onions become translucent. Make a small clear area in the pan and add the tomato paste and pesto/oregano and sauté a few minutes then combine all elements. Salt and pepper to taste. When pasta is cooked drain well and return to pot add mushroom mixture and heat through.

Prepare pasta by bringing large pot of salted water to a rapid boil, add pasta and cook until just below al dente. In a dutch oven or pot large enough to hold cooked pasta plus one quart liquid heat one tablespoon olive oil. Cut pancetta into 1/4 inch dice, when oil is heated add pancetta. Cook pancetta until crisp, remove from pot with slotted spoon and reserve. Pour off any fat left from pancetta add butter and flour and cook until combined scraping up brown bits from pan. Slowly pour heated milk into pot stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring milk to a fast simmer then add Parmesan, Asiago and Fontina cheeses stirring well to allow cheeses to melt. Add salt and pepper to taste and 4 or 5 scrapes of the nutmeg, stir well. Remove from heat, fold in cooked pasta until well coated, crumble gorgonzola cheese into mixture, combine well, cut mozzerella cheese into 1/2 inch chunks then fold into mixture

Butter a 9 x 13 oven proof dish, pour cheese and pasta mixture into pan and level top, combine bread crumbs with parmesan cheese and cover top. Bake in a 350° F oven until top is golden brown. This works well as a side dish or main course.

Heat oven to 400° F. Strip rosemary leaves from stalk then chop finely. Cut potatoes in half length wise, coat all sides with olive oil then season with salt and pepper to taste place on roasting pan cut side up then sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary. Roast until fork tender.

Put all items in a sauce pot, bring water up to rolling boil, reduce to simmer, cover pot with tight fitting lid cook for 15 minutes, remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10/15 minutes before serving. I used Argan oil when making this dish it provides a nice nutty flavor. You can find this Moroccan oil in specialty stores or on the internet. It is somewhat expensive due to the fact that the trees that grow the nut are becoming more and more rare and it might disappear altogether and since it holds well you might want to but some for your larder.

This side dish works well with chicken,turkey, pork or ham the slight touch of ginger enhances the flavor of each product.

You will need:Sweet Potato approximately 3 oz./personCarrot approximately 3 oz./personPearl Onion approximately 3 oz./personButter approximately 1 TBS/servingBrown sugar (either light or dark) approximately 1 TBS/servingGinger Powder approximately 1 tsp./servingSalt/pepper

Cut sweet potato and carrot into large dice (about the same size as onions used) steam vegetables until just under fork tender. I used frozen pearl onions for this recipe if you use fresh you will need to blanch them until tender remove husks before proceeding. In a skillet large enough to hold all the vegetables place one TBS butter/serving and heat until butter foams, add pearl onions and sauté until just golden, add brown sugar and ginger along with steamed potato and carrot. If you need to add more butter do so at this stage to allow sugar to coat vegetables. Cook until potato and carrot are fork tender, serve.